1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a safety closure assembly for enclosing an aerosol container that is equipped with a vertically acting dispensing valve operated through a valve stem which projects axially outwardly from one end of the container. The safety closure assembly is further intended to selectively permit and prevent operation of the dispensing valve.
Aerosol containers commonly store fluid consumer products for use, when desired, in the home. Some such products are, however, potentially dangerous if misused. For example, certain pesticides, paints, disinfectants, lubricants, and household cleaners are corrosive or poisonous and, thus, can injure human health if ingested or sprayed on the skin or in the eyes. Moreover, the containers which hold such products are often stored at places in the home where small children and other unauthorized users have or can gain access to them.
Therefore, it is beneficial to package products such as these in aerosol containers having closure assemblies which deter or prevent a small child or other unauthorized user from dispensing the container's contents. Nevertheless, such closure assemblies should be relatively easy to operate by an adult when it is actually necessary to dispense contents of the container. Further, it is desirable that such closure assemblies automatically reset themselves after use so that they cannot inadvertantly be left in operative condition.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various types of closure assemblies for aerosol containers, such as those described above, have been proposed which can be rendered inoperative to dispense the container's contents. One such assembly is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,828,982 (Steigerwald) and includes a horizontally biased slide, disposed within an actuator overcap and accessible through the overcap side wall. The slide defines an opening through which an actuator hub can pass to permit a user to depress and operate the dispenser valve stem. The opening is normally positioned eccentrically with respect to the actuator hub to prevent depression. Sequential movement of the slide and depression of the actuator is required to dispense product by simultaneous use of the thumb and index finger of the user's hand.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,860,149 (Hagianis) discloses a childproof actuator that includes an actuator button having a finger adapted to engage the blocking portion of a collar which rests on the container valve pedestal. The button may be rotated from this "off" position to an "on" position where the finger does not engage the collar blocking portion, thus permitting the button to be depressed. U.S. Pat. No. 3,749,286 (Douglas) is directed to an actuator assembly having a slideable, forked locking member mounted to wedge between the valve actuator and the container. However, neither the Hagianis nor Douglas Patents disclose an actuator assembly which automatically resets to a valve disabling position after use.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,722,748 (Wakeman et al.), assigned to the assignee of the present invention, discloses a childsafe actuator overcap which includes a collar having an keying slot and a valve actuator having a complimentary keying element. The keying slot and element are aligned by visible indexing arrangement to render the dispenser valve operative.
Still other designs for childproof actuators are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,848,778 (Meshberg); 3,786,968 (Ewald); 3,760,988 (Ostrowsky); and 3,622,052 (Gach) and 3,924,782 (Starrett). The Starrett Patent is assigned to the assignee of the present invention.